Ch. 561..570

Chapter 561 Aveline looked at him coldly. "It's still better than your reasons for getting close to me."

"You're wrong."

Lucas looked at her with amusement. "I approached you simply because I wanted to possess you. But as for him, the consequences might be more than you can handle." Aveline pressed her lips together, not saying a word. She knew well enough who treated her well and who didn't.

How could she possibly judge Russell's intentions based on a few words from Lucas?

Besides, she had nothing to offer; what could Russell possibly want from her?

She pushed him away. "I have to go to work."

Lucas, however, shut the door behind them, speaking coldly, "You need to go to the hospital first. You're sick, and you need treatment."

Aveline glared at him. "You're the one who's sick!"

Lucas replied, "You know better than anyone how healthy I am, don't you?"

Aveline fell silent, unwilling to continue the conversation.

Lucas remained firm, insisting on taking her to the hospital.

Aveline resisted strongly, but as they reached the ground floor, Lucas' phone suddenly rang. He answered, "Hello?” The person on the other end said, "Mr. Lucas, Madam Barbara is unwell. You should come and see her."

Lucas responded indifferently, "If she's unwell, take her to the hospital. I'm not a doctor."

But the person on the other end sounded desperate, "This time it's serious, Mr. Lucas. You're her only grandson. You can't just ignore her!"

Lucas furrowed his brows and glanced back at Aveline. Suddenly, he said, "Fine.” After hanging up, he grabbed her hand. "You don't have to see the doctor, but you need to come with me somewhere."

Aveline found this strange. "Where?"

“You'll see when we get there,” Lucas replied.

Though still reluctant, Aveline preferred this over seeing a doctor, so she stopped resisting.

Soon, the car arrived at the hospital.

Barbara was once again admitted.

Aveline was quite puzzled as she followed Lucas into the VIP ward. When they opened the door to one of the rooms, she saw Frederick and Yvonne already inside. Sophia was sitting by the bedside, holding Barbara's hand, her face stained with tears, looking very sorrowful. Barbara's complexion was poor, and she appeared extremely frail.

Upon hearing the door, everyone turned to look.

Frederick's brows immediately furrowed when he saw Aveline. "Lucas, you could've come alone. Why did you bring an outsider?" Lucas replied coolly, "Who's the outsider?"

Frederick's expression darkened. He could never remain calm when facing Lucas.

"I want to remarry her, so she's not an outsider," Lucas added.

"What?" Sophia exclaimed in shock. "How can you remarry? Madam Barbara would never agree!"

Lucas let out a cold laugh. "It's me who wants to remarry, not her. What does her approval have to do with it?"

"You..."

"Cough, cough..."

Barbara opened her eyes on the bed, looking at Lucas with a weak expression.” Lucas, do you want me to die without peace?” Lucas softened his expression slightly as he looked at her. “Grandma, you're at an age where you should be enjoying your twilight years. It's better for your health if you don't meddle in the affairs of us young people."

Though his tone was respectful, the meaning was clear-her threats didn't matter to him.

Barbara began coughing violently again. “If you continue like this, how will I face Leo? If he knew what you've become, he'd be so disappointed. He adored you the most!"

Chapter 562 Barbara's words hung in the air, turning the room ice-cold.

Aveline, merely an outsider in this situation, found the scene before her utterly absurd. This family constantly invoked the memory of a dead man to dictate Lucas' actions. Whenever he did something that displeased them, they would use this deceased person to lecture him.

How laughable...

Perhaps they knew deep down that they had no other way to persuade Lucas, so they resorted to such tactics.

Aveline watched coldly from the sidelines.

Lucas remained composed, his deep, magnetic voice carrying a chill as he spoke, " Grandma, why don't you understand yet? It's not just that he's dead; even if he were alive and standing right in front of me, he wouldn't have the right to interfere in my affairs."

"You..."

Barbara began coughing violently at his words, her already wrinkled, aged face appearing even more frail.

Frederick's expression grew darker. "Lucas, how can you speak to your grandmother like that? Can't you see how weak she is?"

Lucas looked at him and replied, "If you're worried that my words will upset her, then you shouldn't have called me here in the first place."

"You!"

Frederick was once again left speechless with anger.

Yvonne interjected gently, “Alright, now is not the time for arguing. Mom, you shouldn't worry about Lucas' affairs anymore. He has his own opinion. What you need to focus on now is recovering your health. Once you're better, you'll be able to hold your great-grandchild in the future.” Barbara could only look at Lucas, her eyes moist, wanting to say something but unable to stop coughing.

Sophia gently patted her chest, trying to soothe her.

"Lucas, Madam Barbara's in a fragile state. Maybe tone it down a bit?" Sophia's eyes met Lucas's, her voice laced with worry.

Lucas shot her a glance. "And who do you think you are, to tell me what to do?"

“I...” Sophia's face turned pale, shocked by how harsh Lucas' words were.

He had never spoken like this before.

Lucas then cast a cold glance at the butler and the servants. "This is a Tudor family matter. What is an outsider doing here?"

The butler, hearing Lucas' words, instinctively glanced at Frederick and Yvonne.

Lucas scoffed coldly, "Why are you looking at them? Am I not part of this family, unable to give you orders?"

A cold sweat immediately broke out on the butler's forehead.

Under immense pressure, he walked over to Sophia's side and said, "Miss Winter, please excuse yourself. Madam Barbara has something she wishes to discuss with Mr. Lucas.” Sophia's expression grew even more unpleasant; Lucas was blatantly humiliating her!

She struggled to keep her emotions in check, stood up, and left. But as she passed by Aveline, she suddenly whispered, "Do you think I don't know what you've been up to? Lucas has already taken care of it for me. Whatever you're aiming for is bound to fail."

With a smug smile, she left the room.

Aveline kept her gaze lowered, her expression unchanged.

As the door closed, Lucas pulled up a chair and sat by the bedside, looking at Barbara's frail face.

He spoke calmly, “Grandma, you really should focus on your recovery. It seems you can't find peace here in Cloudflare City, so why don't I send you abroad? There's a beautiful, serene island where you can do whatever you like."

Upon hearing this, Barbara's face immediately darkened. "What... what do you mean? Are you planning to imprison me?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "How could you say that? I'm just trying to be filial.”

Chapter 563 Aveline suddenly found his words amusing, but the tense atmosphere in the room and her awkward position made it clear that laughing now would only make her a target.

She forced herself to suppress the urge, lowering her gaze.

Sensing her reaction, Lucas glanced at her.

When he noticed the flicker of amusement in her eyes, his foul mood unexpectedly lifted a bit.

Interesting...

Dealing with these people might have its perks after all.

At the very least, it could amuse her.

And that, he thought, was worth it.

Barbara began coughing violently, her trembling hand pointing at Lucas as if she wanted to scold him, but she was too weak to even speak. All she could do was glare at him with anger.

Lucas, seemingly oblivious to her fury, gently took her hand. “Grandma, don't worry. Aveline and I will live well together, and we'll soon give you a great-grandchild to hold Barbara yanked her hand away and turned her face away from him, clearly enraged. Frederick was equally angered by Lucas' words, but he kept his temper in check, speaking in a low voice instead, "We don't approve of your relationship with Aveline. I've already found you a new match. The Thompson girl is a fine choice.

“You've been spending time with her, and I understand you've grown fond of her. Why not make it official? Once your grandmother's health improves, we can proceed with wedding plans.” Yvonne chimed in, "I've met Judy a few times as well. She's a proper and courteous young woman. Marrying her would only strengthen your position."

Lucas' handsome face remained impassive.

After a moment, he looked at them both and asked, "Are you done?"

Chapter 563 Frederick's expression darkened. “Lucas, what kind of attitude is that? Are you so arrogant that you no longer respect anyone?” Lucas replied, "I'll match your attitude. As I've said before, my wife is Aveline, and if any of you are so fond of someone else, go ahead and marry them yourselves. Leave me out of it." With that, he stood up, walked over to Aveline, took her hand, and started to lead her out.

Frederick's face grew even darker, and Yvonne frowned.

“Lucas, aren't you afraid you're putting Aveline in danger by doing this? She could have had a peaceful and happy life, but you keep forcing her to stay by your side. Have you ever asked if she wants that?" Aveline noticed how Lucas' expression instantly darkened, but the change was brief. He quickly masked it and turned to Yvonne with a mocking smile.

He said, "If I hear that any of you have targeted or bullied her, I won't hold back. You know what happens when I lose control - not even Leo could stop me then."

Yvonne's face darkened as well.

Lucas then turned and walked away with Aveline.

"This is outrageous!" Frederick sneered coldly and looked at Yvonne, saying, "Since he cares so much about Aveline, find a way to make her work for us. She's a helpless orphan; it shouldn't be hard to manipulate her."

Yvonne nodded. "Alright, I'll take care of it."

Frederick's expression grew even more sinister, “Lucas is getting too arrogant; he's leaving me no choice but to take action."

The two of them entered the elevator, one after the other.

Aveline remained calm, unaffected by the storm that had just unfolded. To her, it had been nothing more than an amusing spectacle.

Chapter 564 Lucas glanced at her and pressed a button for a different floor.

Seeing this, Aveline hesitated and asked, "Where are we going now?"

In a low, cold voice, Lucas replied, "To get you checked."

Aveline's expression immediately darkened. "There's nothing wrong with me, I'm not going."

Lucas looked at her calmly. "We're already at the hospital. Do you really think you can avoid this?"

Her face grew even more tense.

The elevator quickly reached the designated floor, and as the doors opened, Lucas firmly took her hand and led her directly to the doctor's office without giving her a chance to resist.

This hospital was under the Tudor family's management, and the doctors of department head rank and above all knew Lucas. Whenever they saw him, they would respectfully address him as Mr. Tudor.

He pushed open the door to an office where a doctor, wearing glasses, was in the middle of a consultation with a patient. The sudden intrusion startled the patient.

The doctor glanced at Lucas, clearly displeased, and said, "Can't you see I'm in the middle of a consultation? Couldn't you have informed the nurse outside before barging in?"

Aveline was a bit surprised that someone would dare speak to Lucas like that-it seemed this doctor had a close relationship with him.

Lucas pulled out a chair and sat down, speaking indifferently, "Continue with your consultation. I'm not here to disrupt your work."

The doctor replied, "But just by being here, you're disrupting my work."

Lucas let out a light scoff. "Well, in that case, since the patient is leaving, you can help me out instead."

The doctor fell silent as the patient indeed got up and left.

The doctor then turned his gaze toward Aveline, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his glasses, and asked, "And this is?"

"My wife, Aveline," Lucas replied.

The doctor looked at Aveline in surprise before introducing himself, "Hello, I'm Lance Summer."

Aveline gave a slight nod. "Hello, I'm Aveline Young, but I'm not his wife. We've already divorced." Lucas glanced at her but remained silent. Lance smiled and asked, "So, why are you two here?"

Lucas pointed to Aveline and said, "She's got a psychological issue. Every time I touch her, she claims it hurts.” Aveline was speechless. She shot Lucas a glare, wishing she could slap him across the face!

Did he not realize why she reacted that way?

Chapter 564 Lance raised an eyebrow at Lucas' comment, then remarked, "You're too rough with her."

Lucas remained silent, his expression unchanged.

Lance continued, "If you don't mind, could I have a private conversation with Miss Young?"

“Are you joking?” Lucas' gaze instantly turned icy. "You want her to discuss something like this alone with a male doctor?"

Lance pushed his glasses up and replied, "As you mentioned, I'm a doctor. In my profession, we don't see gender - just patients who need care."

“That's nonsense," Lucas retorted bluntly. "You're going to examine her right here."

Lance fell silent, then looked at Aveline with a hint of sympathy. “You're a brave woman to have married him and lived with him for so long."

Aveline responded, "Thank you for the exaggeration, but I don't want to be that brave.” Lucas' face grew even darker.

Lance sighed helplessly and said, “I don't know all the details, but I suspect she's developed a psychological stress response to your touch. Her brain is signaling her body to feel pain. The only solution is for you to stop touching her."

Lucas glared at him. "Take that back and say something else."

Lance removed his glasses and rubbed his temples in frustration.

Chapter 565 Lucas looked at Lance with growing impatience. "What's the solution? Hurry up and tell me!"

Lance remained silent for a moment before finally replying, "Take it step by step. Keep your distance for now and let her gradually get used to you." Lucas frowned. "Isn't there a faster way?"

Lance responded with a mocking tone, "How did you manage before you had a wife? Now that you have one, you can't even wait a single day?"

"That's right, I can't wait a day," Lucas replied without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Lance was defeated by Lucas' shamelessness. He straightened his face and said, "No, there isn't a faster way."

After putting his glasses back on, he added, "Now get out of here and stop holding up my patients."

Lucas knew Lance wouldn't lie to him, so despite his displeased expression, he got up and left.

Aveline's expression grew colder as she followed him silently. Once they were outside the hospital, she immediately turned and walked in the opposite direction. Lucas didn't stop her. He watched her slender figure for a moment before pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it.

This was turning out to be a tricky situation.

When Aveline arrived at the office, she saw Maria in the middle of a meeting. Instead of interrupting, she stood outside the door and listened for a while. The meeting ended shortly afterward.

Maria approached her and asked, "What happened? Why are you so late?"

Aveline replied, "Lucas' grandmother wasn't feeling well, so I went to the hospital to check on her. Fortunately, it's nothing serious."

María nodded in understanding. "It's good that she's okay, but... didn't you and Lucas get divorced?"

Why would she still visit Barbara at the hospital?

"Are they planning to remarry? Does that mean my task is almost complete?" Maria thought.

Aveline responded, "Madam Barbara treated me well in the past. With her being so ill, I couldn't find a reason not to visit her."

Maria smiled warmly and said, "Actually, that's not a bad idea. The more you interact with Lucas, the better. If you two get remarried, rny studio would be set for life!" Aveline gave a slight smile and said, "I'm going to get back to work."

"Alright, go ahead," Maria replied cheerfully.

+25 BONUS Chapter 565 Just as Aveline sat down, her phone rang. Seeing that it was Selena calling, her heart tightened, and she quickly answered.

"Hello, Selena, what's wrong?"

Selena's voice came through, "Nothing serious, don't worry. I just wanted to let you know that Aaron's people are following me. Looks like I won't be able to leave Cloudflare City." Aveline's expression darkened.

As expected, Aaron's methods were just like Lucas'.

Selena continued, “I've been thinking, since I can't escape, I might as well enjoy it. After all, he's a rich heir. Maybe he'll get bored after a while, and when we part ways, I could walk away with a nice sum of money.” Aveline was speechless.

Selena chuckled. “Ave, what do you think? Does that sound like a plan?"

Aveline, however, expressed her concern. "I'm just worried he won't let you go that easily."

"Even better," Selena replied, sounding optimistic. "If he can't live without me, then he'll marry me, and I'll become Mrs. Fletcher, living the high life!"

Selena's carefree attitude left Aveline silent once again.

She and Selena always had different perspectives on things.

She just couldn't be as carefree as Selena.

Perhaps, Selena's way of thinking was right.

Chapter 566 Selena laughed and said, "Ave, I'm just an ordinary person without big ambitions. Honestly, the only reason I met Aaron is because of you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even know who he is, let alone have all these interactions. Life is short, so why not enjoy it while we can?"

Aveline listened to her words, understanding that no matter how much they resisted, they couldn't stand up to these men. they wanted to, there were hundreds of ways they could ruin their lives.

Instead of struggling in vain, maybe it was better to just go along with it and enjoy the ride.

Selena's way of thinking made sense.

Aveline said, “As long as you've thought it through, I respect your decision."

Selena laughed again. "Ave, why don't we just let loose together? These rich young men will eventually get bored. When that time comes, we'll be wealthy women, free to enjoy life anywhere in the world." Aveline smiled wryly and said, "Selena, you know we're different."

Selena sighed. “If you had a personality like mine, would all of this have happened?"

Aveline, an orphan, always longed for more. The amnesiac Lucas had given her warmth and love, and that was why she couldn't bring herself to divorce him. She couldn't let go of the precious memories and the feelings that came with them.

Aveline said, "Alright, let's talk later. I need to get back to work."

"Okay," Selena replied. "You get busy, and I'll wait for the good news."

"Sure."

After hanging up the phone, Aveline stared at the computer screen, lost in thought. After a while, she snapped out of it and threw herself into her work.

Later in the afternoon, Maria approached her and said, “Aveline, there's an event tonight. Why don't you come with me?"

Aveline asked curiously, "What kind of event?"

Recently, there hadn't been any major business parties or events in Cloudflare City.

Maria smiled slyly. "It's a private event."

Aveline gave a small smile in return. "In that case, I think I'll pass. You go ahead and have a good time."

Maria playfully tugged on Aveline's arm, pouting, "Come on, don't be like that. Just go with me, please? Even though it's a private event, I'm an outsider and don't know any of those big shots. But you're practically a local in Cloudflare City, so you'll definitely handle it better than I would. Please come with me!"

Aveline asked, "What kind of private event is it?"

María explained, "I think it's a birthday party for some heiress of a big corporation. I don't know her personally; I only managed to get in through some connections. In our line of work, it's good to have ties with these second-generation elites. They spend money like water, and you never know when they might need our services."

Aveline considered this and found Maria's reasoning sound. "Alright, I'll go with you."

Maria beamed with excitement. "I knew you were the best! We'll head out in a bit."

"Okay."

After finishing the final touches on her design and saving her work, Aveline closed her computer. As she turned her head, she caught a glimpse of Vivian giving her a malicious look. Aveline frowned slightly. Before she could take a closer look, Vivian had already looked away, as if the brief eye contact had been a figment of her imagination.

But Aveline didn't believe in coincidences or illusions. Vivian's hostility toward her wasn't new, and it seemed Aveline would need to be more cautious around her.

Maria stepped out of the office and called, "Ave, let's go!"

"Coming," Aveline responded.

The two left together, but just as they walked out, Vivian followed them a few steps behind.

Chapter 566

Chapter 567 The birthday party was held at the Ninth Mansion.

Maria and Aveline stepped into the spacious private room, only to find it buzzing with activity. The air was thick with the chatter of Cloudflare City's young elite - scions of powerful families, each face a reminder of influence and wealth.

Maria's eyes darted around, acutely aware that in this sea of privilege, she was an unknown.

Some recognized Aveline but didn't approach her. They were aware of her identity and also knew about her divorce from Lucas. In their eyes, Aveline was now insignificant.

Maria led Aveline to a corner, her eyes gleaming as she looked at the crowd. "Ave, do you know what I see when I look at these people? Flashing dollar signs!"

Aveline smiled and said, "Getting them to turn into dollar signs in your pocket won't be so simple."

Maria glanced at her. “Why worry? I've got you, don't I? Just show them some of your designs, and they'll be blown away. My studio's phone will be ringing off the hook!" Aveline smiled. "You have too much faith in me."

Bringing Aveline here might have been a mistake on Maria's part because Aveline also recognized many familiar faces-people who had attended Barbara's birthday banquet. They all knew her identity and were well aware that she no longer had any ties to Lucas. There was no way they'd give her any attention.

Aveline quietly nibbled on some fruit. If nothing else, the fruit here was truly sweet.

Maria stayed with her for a while, but she couldn't sit still. After exchanging a few words, she got up to chat with some of the handsome men around.

Maria had an excellent appearance and knew just how to say things men liked to hear. Before long, she was engaged in lively conversations with a few guys.

Aveline took one glance at them before she turned her attention back to the fruit on her plate.

"Aveline."

A familiar voice suddenly broke the silence. Aveline looked up to see Sasha standing beside her, smiling warmly.

Aveline was a bit surprised. "Miss Winter, you're here too."

Sasha nodded. “It's the Johnson family's heiress' birthday. All the young members of families close to them are here. What surprises me is seeing you here.” Aveline smiled lightly. "I'm here as a plus-one with my boss."

She pointed with her chin toward Maria.

Sasha glanced over and then sat down beside Aveline. I thought you came with Mr. Tudor. I was wondering if you and he had reconciled, which would mean Sophia's plans would fall through." Aveline's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she didn't respond.

Her relationship with Lucas was... complicated.

They were divorced, yet somehow entangled again. It was exhausting, and she couldn't seem to break free.

Sasha took a sip of champagne and said, “My family found out that DK Group is investing in Sophia's company. Now my parents are all over her again. With how much Barbara likes her, I feel like I'm about to be pushed out of the Winter family."

Hearing this, Aveline pressed her lips together and said, "I'm sorry. If I hadn't dragged you into this, maybe she wouldn't be targeting you.” Sasha shook her head. "It's not your fault. She's always been targeting me; she just didn't have enough leverage before. And now... well, there's no point dwelling on it.” She let out a bitter laugh. "If my parents are really planning to abandon and go abroad."

ne, then I'll leave Cloudflare City Aveline felt a pang of guilt, but seeing Sasha's calm expression, she didn't know what to say.

Chapter 568 Just then, a commotion erupted near the entrance.

Aveline and Sasha both looked over to see Rina emerging, dressed in a stunning gown. A diamond tiara adorned her head, exuding confidence and beauty, her every gesture radiating the grace of a true heiress.

Beside her was Sophia, while following close behind were Aaron and Lucas.

Aveline's expression froze.

Sasha glanced at her and said, "Rina grew up with Aaron and Lucas, given the close ties between their families. They've always looked out for her. As she got older, Rina developed feelings for Aaron and has been chasing him for years. I heard that the Fletcher and Johnson families are planning to arrange a marriage between them."

What?

Aaron was going to marry Rina?

Then what about Selena?

Aveline was holding a grape, and upon hearing Sasha's words, she squeezed it too hard, crushing it instantly.

Did Aaron truly have no intention of letting Selena go, nor any plans to call off his engagement?

If he were to marry Rina, where did that leave Selena?

Aveline had managed to stay calm until now, but her composure was quickly slipping away.

If Aaron were single, being with Selena for the thrill of it, just having some fun, she could accept that. After all, neither of them was committed to anyone else. But if Aaron were engaged...

Aveline resolved to talk to Selena again; she couldn't just passively let things slide.

"Mr. Tudor is looking at you."

Aveline was lost in thought when Sasha's voice brought her back. She instinctively glanced at Lucas and, sure enough, locked eyes with his deep, intense gaze. Aveline calmly looked away, her brows knitting slightly.

Rina, like a star surrounded by admirers, was at the center of the crowd People eagerly presented her with their carefully chosen gifts. Rina, with a proud smile, didn't reach out to accept the gifts but instead pointed to a corner.

Just place them over there," she instructed.

Sophia handed over a gift, saying, "Happy birthday, Rina,"

Unlike with the others, Rina accepted her gift directly. "Thank you."

She then turned to Aaron. "And your gift?"

Aaron casually pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to her.

Rina took it with a delighted expression, but as she opened it, her smile faltered slightly. Inside was a simple pair of diamond studs–neither limited edition nor custom-made. Though disappointed, she kept them in her hand and smiled brightly at Aaron. "I love them."

Aaron, looking relaxed and uninterested, simply walked past her and headed toward the sofa.

Lucas then took out a box and said, "Happy birthday."

Rina accepted it as well, saying, "Thank you, Lucas," without opening it.

She placed it next to Sophia's gift and then quickly put on the earrings Aaron had given her.

Those earrings were probably the least expensive thing she was wearing, but that didn't matter to her. She'd cherish them!

Aveline's gaze remained fixed on Aaron as he settled into the sofa, soon engaging in conversation with those around him. This world was one that ordinary people couldn't easily enter.

As she was lost in thought, someone suddenly stepped into her line of sight, blocking her view.

Instinctively, Aveline looked up and met Lucas' cold, stern eyes.

She quickly averted her gaze and resumed eating her fruit.

Sasha, perceptive as always, had discreetly stepped away when she saw Lucas approaching Aveline. Her eyes sparkled with interest as she watched him make his way toward her.

Chapter 569 If Lucas reconciled with Aveline, where would that leave Sophia? Sasha's position in the Winter family would be secure again.

Lucas sat down right next to Aveline and asked in a low voice, “What are you looking at?” Aveline responded coolly, "Why are you so interested in everything? Do you live by the ocean or something?"

Lucas chuckled softly. "Funny you say that I actually do have a house by the ocean. When you've got some time, I'll take you there. If you like it, we could spend some time there together."

Aveline ignored him. Who wanted to go to the ocean with him? Ridiculous.

Undeterred, Lucas continued, “You still haven't answered me. Why were you staring at Aaron?"

Aveline glanced at him and said, "I think he's better looking than you."

Hearing this, Lucas narrowed his eyes dangerously, clearly not expecting such a response. He reached out and grasped her chin, turning her face toward him as he coldly asked, "When did you go blind?" Aveline pushed his hand away and turned her attention back to her fruit, uninterested in continuing the conversation.

Lucas then shifted his gaze to Aaron, who was currently playing a drinking game and losing, downing his drink as a consequence.

Scoffing, Lucas thought, "How could he be better looking?"

This woman's eyesight must truly be failing; perhaps he should take her to see a doctor.

Sophia had been watching Lucas closely. When she saw him go straight to Aveline, her hand clenched into a fist.

Why was that wretched woman here?

With her status, she didn't belong at this event!

After a moment's thought, Sophia walked over to Rina and said, "Rina, how did some questionable people manage to get into your birthday party? We can't have them lowering your status, and with all these expensive gifts around, what if something goes missing?" Rina frowned at this. "Who slipped in?"

Sophia pointed toward Aveline and Maria.

Rina looked over, and when she saw Lucas sitting beside Aveline, her expression stiffened. "Why is Lucas sitting next to that woman? Could he be reconciling with her?"

Sophia remained silent.

But Rina continued, "If Lucas hadn't had that car accident back then, you would be Mrs. Tudor by now. That woman wouldn't have had any place in his life. What will you do if Lucas gets back together with her?

Chapter 569 Sophia pretended to be understanding and said, "Rina, it's fine. I get it if Lucas changes his mind. I can't compare to Aveline anyway, especially with my health the way it is."

Rina scoffed. “She's nothing more than a cheap slut. Besides, you lost your leg saving Lucas. That woman can't even compare to a single strand of your hair. Don't worry, I won't let her steal Lucas from you.” With that, Rina waved over a server, gave her some instructions, and pointed toward Aveline.

The server nodded and headed straight toward Aveline.

Sophia, pretending to be concerned, said, “But Lucas is over there. If we kick her out directly, he might get angry."

Rina smirked. "I have a plan."

She called over another server and whispered some instructions to her as well.

Sophia watched the entire exchange, a slight smile playing on her lips.

The first server approached Lucas and respectfully said, "Mr. Tudor, Miss Johnson is looking for you. She has something she wants to discuss with you."

Lucas raised an eyebrow but didn't get up. "What does she need? Tell her to come here."

The server was taken aback, not expecting such a response from Lucas.

Chapter 570 The server was visibly thrown off by the unexpected response.

Aveline glanced over at Rina, naticing that Sophia was seated beside her. A suspicion began to form in her mind. Without warning, she reached out and took hold of Lucas' hand.

Lucas looked at her in surprise, his eyes lighting up for a brief moment. He quickly clasped her hand in return, gripping it a little tighter as if afraid she might pull away.

Aveline paused for a second, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't pull back. Instead, she continued eating her fruit.

The two servers exchanged uncertain looks. They knew they couldn't afford to offend Rina, but Lucas was even more intimidating.

They retreated reluctantly.

Rina and Sophia observed the entire interaction. Rina's expression darkened. "That slut! She's bold enough to flirt with Lucas in front of everyone. I really underestimated her."

Sophia lowered her eyes slightly, adding a hint of sorrow to her voice. “Rina, let it go. Lucas is really into her right now. If we go over there and try to kick her out, Lucas will definitely be upset.” Rina couldn't stand seeing Sophia looking so pitiful and immediately got to her feet, heading straight toward them. "I don't believe for a second that Lucas would ignore my feelings for some woman!" Sophia reached out to stop her. "Rina, don't be impulsive!"

But Rina was already too riled up to listen.

She quickly approached Lucas, her face now adorned with a smile. "Lucas, why aren't you joining us?"

Still holding Aveline's hand, Lucas replied cheerfully, “I'm spending time with my wife.” Rina acted as if she had just noticed Aveline, a look of surprise crossing her face. "So, this is your wife? But didn't you get divorced? Honestly, Lucas, I think it's good that you divorced her. A simple girl like this doesn't fit into our world, and she's an orphan too. Keeping her around will only drag you down.” Her words, though spoken with an air of innocence and frankness, carried a sting. If anyone else had been present, they might have thought she was simply being candid and perhaps even praised her for her straightforwardness.

Aveline looked up at Rina, studying her closely. She realized that Rina wasn't being pretentious. It was a product of her privileged upbringing, which had shaped her character.

Did Selena even stand a chance?

"Hey, don't you know it's rude to stare at someone like that?" Rina snapped, noticing Aveline's silent gaze.

Aveline responded coolly, "I only look at you because you're a person. If you were just a weed by the roadside, I wouldn't bother noticing you."

Rina didn't catch the insult in Aveline's words, but something about it made her uncomfortable. Lucas smirked. "Well said, my dear."

Aveline immediately felt a wave of discomfort, goosebumps rising on her arms. She even considered pulling her hand away. What was wrong with him? Why was he talking to her like that? Rina's face clouded for a moment, but she quickly put on a playful smile and turned to Lucas. “Lucas, come on and join us. Games are always more fun with more people."

But Lucas looked at Aveline instead. "Do you want to play?"

Aveline shook her head. "I don't want to play, and you're not allowed to go either."

Lucas raised an eyebrow at this.

Rina, overhearing, scoffed. “Hey, aren't you overstepping a bit? Lucas can do whatever he wants. You have no right to interfere. And even if you were still married, you wouldn't have the authority to control him.”